Fender Deluxe Reverb Amp Hiss

[tomvwash]

Love this amp, going on 10 years now, but low level hiss and occasional pops are too much, even after new tubes...6 months ago? Trip for repair is never fun, and I don't want to give up on the amp. Is this a matter of cleaning sockets. a bad tube??? Any suggestions welcome, Thank you,

Tom

[Tal_175]

The Deluxe Reverbs I've had in the past all had some audible hiss even with the volume turned low. I think it's part of the design.

[ewall]

You know, I've had this Deluxe Reverb since at least the early 90's and I've never had it repaired. There is perhaps a low level hum and rare pops after I turn it off. But it keeps on keeping on. Would probably trade it for a lighter amp but I'm too lazy.

[sgosnell]

Expecting a noiseless Fender is like looking for a unicorn.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Expecting a noiseless Fender is like looking for a unicorn.

We lived with noisy amps for decades because there was no alternative. If you got a quiet one, you were just lucky. And it didn’t matter much. But now that so many of us record our playing at home with little digital recorders that have mics on them, amp noise is an issue. Another change that made quiet amps more necessary was on-stage sound reinforcement. And one of the drivers behind the move to DI boxes and preamp pedals into FRFR powered speakers is the quest for powerful but quiet amplification.

Fortunately, we now have great sounding amps that are powerful and quiet. I suspect that I and many of you might still be able to tell a Twin from a modeled Twin in live solo jazz performance. But I’m not 100% sure I could, and I know it’d be even harder in a band setting. But my Henriksen, DV Mark and Quilter amps are silent, and I’m pleased enough with the sound to live nicely without the anchors of my past.

Having said all that, both the Vibrolux and the CS PR I use at the club where my regular gig is located are pretty quiet. The Vlux got very noisy a few weeks ago, but new tubes cured it. Both amps are used a few times a week at high volumes by touring acts and at more moderate volumes by my band, and they’re holding their own nicely after about 7 years on the Vkux and 5 years on the Princeton. But I’d buy something like a TM Twin or a Quilter Mach 3 for a high powered amp and a Blu or Bud for a smaller one with less power, if it were for me.

We also have a DVMark Jazz 12 on stage, and it’s been bulletproof so far after at least 6 or 7 years.

[Gitfiddler]

Love this amp, going on 10 years now, but low level hiss and occasional pops are too much, even after new tubes...6 months ago? Trip for repair is never fun, and I don't want to give up on the amp. Is this a matter of cleaning sockets. a bad tube??? Any suggestions welcome, Thank you,

Tom

Did your amp tech give you any thoughts as to the origin of the hiss? Hopefully he reduced his fee since he didn't cure the issue.

I have a '77 Silverface DR that was seen by no less than 4 different amp repairmen. Each made "repairs" to a chronic hissing, popping, reverb-less amp. After several years of dealing with incompetent repairmen, I found an old hippy type guy (about my age) who made the amp sound amazing! He claimed to have 'blackfaced' the amp, replaced worn or useless parts, and generally made it sound as great as his own late 60's DR. Now I LOVE the amp and will never part with it.

I hope you don't have to go through what I did to bring your amp up to speed.

[wintermoon]

Hiss is evident at low home volumes but practically imperceptible on a gig.

[omphalopsychos]

So this is something that really bothered me about the “handwired” fender reissues. I don’t know if this is the one you’re referring to or a pcb reissue or a vintage amp. But yes different amps of the same model will have different noise floors. And Yes some will have an intolerable level of hiss for home playing. IMO the handwired deluxe has an intolerable level of hiss which is why I sold it. My old as balls pre cbs Princeton reverb and vibrolux reverb are both much much quieter at home volumes.

maybe a tech can get you sorted or maybe you should get a new amp. Some hiss is fine but I can’t stand it beyond a certain point.

[tomvwash]

Did your amp tech give you any thoughts as to the origin of the hiss? Hopefully he reduced his fee since he didn't cure the issue.

I have a '77 Silverface DR that was seen by no less than 4 different amp repairmen. Each made "repairs" to a chronic hissing, popping, reverb-less amp. After several years of dealing with incompetent repairmen, I found an old hippy type guy (about my age) who made the amp sound amazing! He claimed to have 'blackfaced' the amp, replaced worn or useless parts, and generally made it sound as great as his own late 60's DR. Now I LOVE the amp and will never part with it.

I hope you don't have to go through what I did to bring your amp up to speed.

I have what I think is a competent amp tech down here--he worked wonders with my "65 Ampeg, now like new, and super quiet, as is the Fender '57 Reissue. Probably time to take it back to him and note that it is still not quite right.

[pauln]

On the big Fenders the channels have Bright switchs for the capacitor across the volume potentiometer. The Deluxe Reverb is missing that switch but in stock form that cap is in place - so the "bright switch" is always on with a DR unless you or someone else has removed that cap or just clipped and taped one of the legs of that cap. Might check or have someone check the next time the chassis is out of the cabinet... just for some hiss reduction.

The reason that cap is on the volume pot is so as you turn the volume knob up the effect of the bright cap diminishes; when turned up to half or further the bright effect is all gone. You might be able to tell if the cap is still in the circuit or not by comparing tone at different volume knob rotations.

When the tubes were replaced, did that include the rectifier? When those begin to fail they inject noise into the amp. Rectifier tubes are usually quite tough but may be damaged by turning the amp off and then back on too quickly - the rectifier is susceptible to power-on damage when it is already fully hot from operation.

I recommend to let everyone else fully establish their power connections on stage before you turn on your amp - sometimes people need to redo power connections without alerting anyone in advance; that can result in your amp being powered off and then on a second later... also good reason to insist on a spare rectifier tube when buying a floor model amp with a tube rectifier.

[Litterick]

Cleaning the sockets is a good idea, and might save you a lot of money.

Ninety percent of valve amp problems are bad valves. If you remove the pre-amp valves, then turn on the amp, but hear no hiss, you will know the problem is one of those valves.

[Jabberwocky]

It is winter and noises get magnified when all the windows are closed. I hear my clock ticking in the dead of the night that I don't hear in the day.

[BBGuitar]

If you must have antique technology (tubes) then you get all the hiss and pops that go along with it.

I got rid of my Deluxe years ago and replaced it with a LoudBox Mini. Not a single regret.

I was an electronics technician for 39 years so I know a little of what I speak. In the audio frequency range hand wired point to point and printed circuit have no difference.